Apparatus to provide versatility in securing male and female connection members of an articulated coupler to a center sill member of a railway car

Abstract

An apparatus which provides versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car is provided. Such apparatus includes a bottom wall portion which matingly engages a bottom wall of such center sill member and a top wall portion which matingly engages one of a top wall of such center sill member and a bottom surface of such railway car. A pair of vertically disposed side wall portions are disposed between such top wall portion and such bottom wall portion. Each of such pair of side wall portions have a predetermined configuration which provides such enhanced versatility in securing such articulated coupling arrangement to such center sill member.

We claim: 
     
       1. A connection arrangement which provides greatly enhanced versatility in securing at least one of a male connection member and a female connection member of an articulated coupling arrangement to one outer end of a center sill member disposed substantially along a longitudinal axis of a railway car body, said connection arrangement comprising: (a) a bottom wall portion having a predetermined length and a predetermined width, said predetermined length of said bottom wall portion extending inwardly into such center sill member from an outer edge thereof and said predetermined width being substantially identical to an inner width of such center sill member, said bottom wall portion having a substantially flat bottom surface which matingly engages a substantially flat upper surface of a horizontally disposed bottom wall of such center sill member, said bottom wall portion having a first edge portion thereof engageable with and secured to an inner portion of such at least one of such male connection member and such female connection member;   (b) a top wall portion having a predetermined length and predetermined width, said predetermined length of said top wall portion extending inwardly into such center sill member from such outer edge thereof and said predetermined width being substantially identical to such inner width of such center sill member, said predetermined length of said top wall portion is substantially shorter than said predetermined length of said bottom wall portion, said top wall portion having a substantially flat upper surface which matingly engages at least one of a substantially flat bottom surface of a horizontally disposed top wall portion of such center sill member and a bottom surface of such railway car body, such top wall portion having a first edge portion thereof engageable with and secured to an inner portion of such at least one of such male connection member and such female connection member;   (c) a pair of axially opposed side wall portions having a predetermined configuration which provides said greatly enhanced versatility in securing such at least one of such male connection member and such female connection member to such outer end of such center sill member, each of said pair of side wall portions having a first edge portion engageable with and secured to an inner portion of such at least one of such male connection member and such female connection member, said each of said pair of side wall portions having a second edge portion engageable with and secured to an upper surface of said bottom wall portion adjacent to a respective outer edge thereof, said each of said pair of side wall portions having a third edge portion engageable with and secured to a bottom surface of said top wall portion adjacent a respective outer edge thereof, said each of said pair of side wall portions having a fourth outer edge portion which in conjunction with said first edge portion and said second edge portion and said third edge portion defines said predetermined configuration, a predetermined portion of a respective outer surface of said each of said pair of side wall portions matingly engages an inner surface of a respective vertically disposed side wall portion of such center sill member;   (d) at least another predetermined portion of said respective outer surface of said each of said pair of side wall portions is exposed through at least one cutout portion formed through each such vertically disposed side wall portion of such center sill member; and   (e) said fourth outer edge portion of said each of said pair of side wall portions includes a first portion which extends upwardly for a predetermined distance from and substantially perpendicular to said bottom surface of said bottom wall portion and a second portion which extends downwardly and outwardly from said top wall portion for a predetermined distance to an intersection with said first portion of said fourth outer edge portion.   
     
     
       2. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 1, wherein an axially opposed second edge portion of said bottom wall portion defines one extreme outer edge of such at least one of such male connection member and such female connection member adjacent a lower portion thereof. 
     
     
       3. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 2, wherein an axially opposed second edge portion of said top wall portion defines another extreme outer edge adjacent an upper portion of such at least one of such male connection member and such female connection members. 
     
     
       4. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member for a railway car according to claim 3, wherein said first portion of said fourth outer edge portion of said each of said pair of side wall portions extends upwardly from and substantially perpendicular to said bottom surface of said bottom wall portion adjacent said second edge portion and said second portion extends downwardly and outwardly from said second edge portion of said top wall portion toward said first portion of said further outer edge portion. 
     
     
       5. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 4, wherein said fourth outer edge portion includes an arcuate portion at least adjacent a point where said first portion and said second portion of said fourth outer edge portion would intersect. 
     
     
       6. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 5, wherein said upper surface of said bottom wall portion disposed intermediate respective inner surfaces of said pair of side wall portions is tapered downwardly and outwardly from said first edge portion toward said axially opposed second edge portion. 
     
     
       7. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 6, wherein said bottom surface of said top wall portion disposed intermediate said respective inner surfaces of said pair of side wall portions is tapered upwardly and outwardly from said first edge portion toward said axially opposed second edge portion. 
     
     
       8. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 7, wherein said respective inner surfaces of said pair of side wall portions are tapered outwardly from their respective said first edge portion and inwardly toward their respective said outer surface adjacent their respective said fourth outer edge portion. 
     
     
       9. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 2, wherein said bottom wall portion includes a cutout portion, having a predetermined configuration, located adjacent said axially opposed second edge portion and substantially midway between said respective outer edges thereof to facilitate welding of said connection arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car. 
     
     
       10. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined configuration of said cutout portion is shaped like a half-moon. 
     
     
       11. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 1, wherein each of said bottom wall portion and said top wall portion and said pair of side wall portions include a tapered portion located adjacent such inner portion of such at least one of such male connection member and such female connection member to facilitate welding to such center sill member during installation of such articulated coupling arrangement to adjacent ends of a pair of railway cars. 
     
     
       12. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 11, wherein said tapered portion on said each of said bottom wall portion and said top wall portion and said pair of side wall portions is tapered at an angle of about 45 degrees. 
     
     
       13. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car according to claim 1, wherein each of said bottom wall portion and said top wall portion and said pair of side wall portions making up said connection arrangement are formed integrally as a single piece. 
     
     
       14. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 13, wherein said each of said bottom wall portion and said top wall portion and said pair of side wall portions making up said connection arrangement are formed integrally as a single piece with such at least one of such male connection member and said female connection member. 
     
     
       15. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined length of said top wall portion is less than one-half said predetermined length of said bottom wall portion. 
     
     
       16. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 15, wherein said predetermined length of said top wall portion is about one-fourth of said predetermined length of said bottom wall portion. 
     
     
       17. A connection arrangement which greatly enhances versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car, according to claim 1, wherein said bottom surface of said bottom wall portion and said top surface of said top wall portion and said respective outer surface of said each of said pair of side wall portions form a generally rectangular shaped connection arrangement.